Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-05-26
WORSE AND MORE OF IT.
Collector Brown Behind With the State
for LaI ge Sum.

The developments of the past few
DAYS in relation to Collector Browns
account with the State place him in a
most inevitable light. His loose husi-
ness habits and evident incapacity to
fill the important position to which he
has been three times elected, have not
been generally known to even his
friends; and when certain discrepancies
in his settlements were merely limited
at by belated order of the old County
Court. his friends were disposed to re-
gard them as mistakes that might have
been made by majority of people.
When these, and subsequent short
age in his last settlement, were made
good, it was hoped that everything was
square, nd that the experience through
which he had passed would make him
more careful in the future.
With the strict laws relating to the
payment of the State funds. it was not
supposed there were likely any mis-
| takes or deficits in that direction, but
warned by the loose way in which the
| county settlements had been made and
allowed to run along for couple of
years, his bOndsmen commenced to in
| quire into that matter also, to make
sure that Collector Browns claim that
| he was square with the State was cor
rect. Then it WAS the fact came out
that he was behind for the sum of
So, 1902, and that 81, 445,71 had been
due since 1885. If the State Auditor
had complied with the law, which re-
quires him to notify the County Court
and issue distress warrant on the Col
lector within thirty days after the
money is due, this and subsequent de-
| ficts might have been avoided. 1t was
IL. 10, 81 E0 nc
| we'll as the Auditors official obligation
to have done this; but that is no excuse
for Mr.. Brown. 1t was his duty to pay
the money over promptly as the law
requires.
The county, as far as is known, has
not lost anything by the Collectors
loose business habits; nor is IL likely
that the State will, as his bondsmen
are all honorable gentlemen, but that
does not relieve him of the imputation
of betraying a most responsible trust.
Whether he will be able to raise the
amount himself we do not know, but
| it is not at all probable he will; and
| whether, if his dOndsmen have to pay
it, they can recover anything from the
Auditor, or will attempt to do so on &C
count of his failure to comply with the
law, which would have put them on,
tnelF SuaTu anu pIe'eHe tho pIeSon'
condition of affairs, we do not know;
but it looks to US as if this violation of
the law ought to render him response
| BILE to somebody. Mr.. Browns bonds
men for the years in which the deficits
occur are l.. d. Walker, franklin Muir
phey. Firmin Desloge, G. B. Parsons,
w. H. Norwine, Abe Herod, A. w.
Keith, J. M. Elvlns and Thomas Will
| liams.
We are sorry to see Mr.. Brown plac-
ed in this unenviable position; and
while there are few who will gloat
over and rejoice at his endorsements
for certain local political advantages
which they hope to gain by it, ma
jority of our people will regret the whole
thing for more worthy and charitable
reasons. Mr.. Brown, of course, has no
one to blame but himself.-F'araOington
| Times.